In order to measure a large work exceeding the measurement range of a single (general-purpose) three-dimensional shape measuring machine, it has heretofore been proposed to prepare a plurality of installation positions for the three-dimensional shape measuring machine around the large work, as described in Japanese Translation of PCT Application Publication No. 2009-529132 (hereinafter, Patent Literature 1). It has been proposed that the three-dimensional shape measuring machine is successively moved to the installation positions to measure the entire work. Such a technique can be used to measure a work of considerable size at minimum cost. Suppose that there are four installation positions. According to the technique, the three-dimensional shape measuring machine measures spatial coordinate data on the measurement range (zone) in each installation position before the spatial coordinate data of the four zones is synthesized into the same coordinate system. The three-dimensional shape measuring machine includes a probe for measuring a work. The probe is moved by manual operations, and the three-dimensional shape measuring machine outputs the spatial coordinate data on the probe.